Nicola Hickling, of LipReader Ltd, on behalf of Covers.com, told the Daily Mirror that Trump didn’t have a customized message for each player. He instead told each one: “You are a champ.”
Trump’s appearance at the final generated headlines throughout the evening, with the president joining FIFA officials, including FIFA President Giovanni Infantino, for the trophy presentation after Spain lifted football’s biggest prize.
As footage of the ceremony spread across social media, viewers were quick to speculate about what had passed between Trump and the players during the handshakes, leading to the aforementioned lip reader’s analysis gaining traction.
Trump’s appearance for the final marked the first time he had attended a 2026 World Cup game, with the tournament co-hosted by the US. Reports online claim that Argentina star Cristian Romero appeared to snub Trump’s handshake, even as he shook hands with those standing on either side of the president.
Trump himself was booed by many of the 80,000-strong crowd in the stadium as he walked onto the pitch alongside Infantino after the game. Reports claim the general crowd ambience measured approximately 78 decibels but jumped to 84 decibels when the jeering intensified.
No stranger to headlines, Trump also caught flack online after attempting to insert himself into Spain’s trophy celebrations. The POTUS continued to stand close to the team for the initial lift of the World Cup trophy, with Infantino appearing to subtly steer him away.